HELLO GOODBYE (McCartney, November 27, 1967)
Magical Mystery Tour – Side 2, Track 1 (3:24)
History –
Under the working title "Hello, Hello", the Beatles recorded the backing track on 2 October 1967, and added vocals and a guitar overdub on the 19th. After further overdubs of bass guitar and viola, recording was completed on the 2nd November, and mixing on the 6th. "Hello Goodbye" is in the key of C Major and in 4/4 time
The song features a coda which came spontaneously in the studio. Of this, McCartney said "I remember the end bit where there's the pause and it goes 'Heba, heba hello'. We had those words and we had this whole thing recorded but it didn't sound quite right, and I remember asking Geoff Emerick if we could really whack up the echo on the tom-toms. And we put this echo full up on the tom-toms and it just came alive."
"Hello, Goodbye" was released as a single on 24 November 1967. In the US, the song was also included on the Magical Mystery Tour album released three days later, but the song was not made available in the UK on an album (or in stereo) until the release of the 1973 compilation album 1967-1970.
The song features a coda which came spontaneously in the studio. Of this, McCartney said "I remember the end bit where there's the pause and it goes 'Heba, heba hello'. We had those words and we had this whole thing recorded but it didn't sound quite right, and I remember asking Geoff Emerick if we could really whack up the echo on the tom-toms. And we put this echo full up on the tom-toms and it just came alive."
"Hello, Goodbye" was released as a single on 24 November 1967. In the US, the song was also included on the Magical Mystery Tour album released three days later, but the song was not made available in the UK on an album (or in stereo) until the release of the 1973 compilation album 1967-1970.
The fake, dead-stop ending and sudden, surprising restart -- a first for a Beatles single -- was referred to by the band as the "Maori Finale," due to the tribal nature of the coda. In the promotional video, however, "Hawaiian" dancers (actually London girls in costume!) suggest a different island theme. John always claimed that this ending, made up in the studio on the spot, was the only part of the song he liked.
With the release of the song, McCartney gave an explanation of its meaning in an interview with Disc: "The answer to everything is simple. It's a song about everything and nothing. If you have black you have to have white. That's the amazing thing about life."
Three promotional films were made for the song; directed by McCartney, they were filmed on the 10th November at the Saville Theater in London. The films were not aired by the BBC due to the Musicians Union’s strict rules on miming; with no such restriction in the US, one of the films was screened on the Ed Sullivan Show on the 26th November.
In the US, Capitol Records omitted the comma in the song’s title in the packaging of the single (as did some of EMI’s partners in other countries), and also the Magical Mystery Tour LP (which was subsequently adopted for the CD release of this album).
"Hello Goodbye" was one of the Bealtes' 18 worst songs, according to John Lennon. "John was furious that this song was chosen to be an A-side over his more experimental “I Am the Walrus.” “It wasn’t a great piece,” he said of the McCartney tune. “The best bit was the end, which we all ad-libbed in the studio, where I played piano.” ― From BuzzFeed.
McCartney never claimed that the irresistibly bounce "Hello, Goodbye" was his most profound songwriting moment. "It's just a song of duality, with me advocating the more positive," he said. Brian Epstein's assistant Alistair Taylor remembered McCartney getting the idea while demonstrating how to write a song: "He had a marvelous old hand-carved harmonium. [He told me to] hit any note on the keyboard . . . and I'll do the same. Whenever I shout out a word, you shout the opposite, and I'll make up a tune. 'Black,' he started. 'White,' I replied. 'Yes.' 'No.' 'Hello.' 'Goodbye.'" Although the song would be Number One for three weeks in the U.S. and for seven weeks in the U.K., Lennon was not impressed. "['I Am the Walrus'] was the B side to 'Hello, Goodbye,'" he said incredulously. "Can you believe it?"
Recording –
Takes: 21
Personnel
John Lennon – Harmony vocals, rhythm guitar (1961 Sonic Blue Fender Stratocaster), organ (Hammond B-3)
Paul McCartney – Lead vocals, bass guitar (1964 Rickenbacker 4001S), piano (Alfred E. Knight), bongos, conga
George Harrison – Harmony vocals, lead guitar (1966 Epiphone E230TD(V) Casino), handclaps
Ringo Starr – Drums (Ludwig), maracas, tambourine
Kenneth Essex– Viola
Leo Birnbaum – Viola
Leo Birnbaum – Viola
Trivia –
The slightly nonsensical words sung at the end of the song are "Hey-la, hey, ha, hey-lo-ah." They have no real meaning.
The promotional video for this song was banned by the BBC, as the very obvious fake (i.e. lip-synched) performance violated the rules of the country's musicians union.
It has been suggested but never proven that the song's title was changed from "Hello Hello" in order to avoid confusion with the song of the same name by San Francisco band Sopwith Camel, which hit #28 on the US charts in January 1967.
This song was used in a 2007 Target commercial and also by ESPN to promote David Beckham's move to American soccer, both to the dismay of Beatles fans.
The Long Beach, CA pop-rock band Hellogoodbye is not named after this song, but rather a phrase used by the character Screech on the TV show Saved By The Bell.
Today in Beatles History (From The Beatles Internet Album) December 31–
1961 – The Beatles leave from Liverpool to London on Neil's car. Brian goes by train.
They sleep at the Royal Hotel, Woburn Place, London.
1962 – Ted Kingsize Taylor ends recordings of groups at the Star Club, Hamburg.
1963 – "Beatles Christmas Show", at the Astoria Cinema, Finsbury Park, London.
1964 – "Another Beatles Christmas Show" at the Hammersmith Odeon, London (two performances).
– Party at Norman Newell's house, 40 Montagu Mansions, Marylebone, London. The Beatles attend.
1965 – UK single release: "That's My Life (My Love And My Home)"/"The Next Time You Feel Important", for the Pye label, recorded by Alfred Lennon.
– US gold certification: Beatles '65.
– The Beatles appear on the front page of "Big", Italian magazine. Headline: "Beatles: Buon Natale da Londra" ("Beatles: Merry Christmas from London").
1966 – Yesterday... And Today, 28th week in the Top 200 (Billboard).
– Brian books Fats Domino for his 1st UK contract, at the Saville Theatre.
– George is refused admission into the night club Annabel's, because he is not wearing a tie. Later, he and friends, including Brian, see at the Lyons Corner House restaurant/cafe, Coventry Street, London.
1967 – New Year's party at Cilla Black's flat, 96 Portland Place, London. Following a Northern tradition, Ringo is sent out, left alone in the street.
– Brian's NEMS shares are transfered to Queenie.
1968 – Arts Laboratory, London. Party attended by John and Yoko.
1969 – BBC's TV program "The Man Of The Decade", dedicated to John, is broadcast.
– "Rolling Stone" nominates John the Man Of The Year, 1969.
– Paul declares to New Musical Express he is considering leaving the group.
1970 – Paul begins High Court proceedings to end the Beatles partnership. Peter Brown renounces.
– John reveals that he took drugs since he was 17, and blames Paul for the dissolution of the Beatles since he wanted to dominate them all.
1974 – The Beatles' association is dissolved, with a document signed by each Beatle.
1988 – 14th and last episode of a BBC series, essentially based on "The Beatles At The Beeb" collection.
2002 – Sir Paul McCartney is presented with his coat of arms.
Photos from Google.
1961 – The Beatles leave from Liverpool to London on Neil's car. Brian goes by train.
They sleep at the Royal Hotel, Woburn Place, London.
1962 – Ted Kingsize Taylor ends recordings of groups at the Star Club, Hamburg.
1963 – "Beatles Christmas Show", at the Astoria Cinema, Finsbury Park, London.
1964 – "Another Beatles Christmas Show" at the Hammersmith Odeon, London (two performances).
– Party at Norman Newell's house, 40 Montagu Mansions, Marylebone, London. The Beatles attend.
1965 – UK single release: "That's My Life (My Love And My Home)"/"The Next Time You Feel Important", for the Pye label, recorded by Alfred Lennon.
– US gold certification: Beatles '65.
– The Beatles appear on the front page of "Big", Italian magazine. Headline: "Beatles: Buon Natale da Londra" ("Beatles: Merry Christmas from London").
1966 – Yesterday... And Today, 28th week in the Top 200 (Billboard).
– Brian books Fats Domino for his 1st UK contract, at the Saville Theatre.
– George is refused admission into the night club Annabel's, because he is not wearing a tie. Later, he and friends, including Brian, see at the Lyons Corner House restaurant/cafe, Coventry Street, London.
1967 – New Year's party at Cilla Black's flat, 96 Portland Place, London. Following a Northern tradition, Ringo is sent out, left alone in the street.
– Brian's NEMS shares are transfered to Queenie.
1968 – Arts Laboratory, London. Party attended by John and Yoko.
1969 – BBC's TV program "The Man Of The Decade", dedicated to John, is broadcast.
– "Rolling Stone" nominates John the Man Of The Year, 1969.
– Paul declares to New Musical Express he is considering leaving the group.
1970 – Paul begins High Court proceedings to end the Beatles partnership. Peter Brown renounces.
– John reveals that he took drugs since he was 17, and blames Paul for the dissolution of the Beatles since he wanted to dominate them all.
1974 – The Beatles' association is dissolved, with a document signed by each Beatle.
1988 – 14th and last episode of a BBC series, essentially based on "The Beatles At The Beeb" collection.
2002 – Sir Paul McCartney is presented with his coat of arms.
Photos from Google.
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